Separable fastener



July 18, 1933- G. SUNDBACK SEPARABLE FASTENER Original Filed Feb. 11. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l VEgTOR Z IN ATTORNEY July 18, 1933. SUNDBACK 1,918,721

SEPARABLE FASTENER Original Filed Feb. 11. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I I 5:\-IJ5 Z, -I W? I gllllllllllllll lllll" IN NTOR MW, BY

/ ATTORNEY Patented July 18, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GIDEON SUNBACK, OF MEADVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO HOOKLESS FASTENER COMPANY, OF MEADVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENN- SYLVANIA.

SEPARABLE FASTENER Application filed February 11, 1925, Serial No. 8,340. Renewed December 14, 1932.

This invention relates to separable fasteners of the slider controlled type and has for its object to provide such a device which has increased lateral flexibility together with the ability to compensate for a variation in length of fabric stringers to which the interlocking members are attached, yet is secure, strong, and capable of being cheaply made in quantity production.

The fastener shown in my Patent No. 1,219,881, dated March 20, 1917 embodies continuous fabric stringers carrying interlocking members alike on each stringer, but in alternating or staggered arrangement, whereby interlocking is efiected by the e11- gagement of each member on one stringer with two members on the other stringer. As specially worked out in that patent, such fastener has a very considerable lateral flexibility, but little or no accommodation to yariation in stringer length owing to the close alternating engagement of the several members. It is known that continuous fabric stringers fluctuate considerably in length owing to humidity conditions, a stringer when wet being appreciably longer than when dry. Hence, when drying, the longitudinal contraction causes the alternately interlocked stringers to Wave or curl up out of the interlocking plane, which, while not impairing the security of the fastener, is objectionable in appearance on various articles, particularly on rubber footwear which is subjeetedto extremes of moisture conditions. This tendency to wave or curl is especially noticeable in footwear because the fastener is usually closed under strain in View of the desirability of securing a good fit, so that the only way the contraction of the stringers can be accommodated is by displacement of the interlocking members out of the interlocking plane.

According to this invention, I have solved the problem of providing the locking members arranged opposite one another along a pair of flexible fabric stringers with any desired spacing between the members along the same stringer. Preferably, each member is provided with a projection and recess on its longitudinal edge whereby the locking is doubly secure. To facilitate the engagement of the projection with the recess, one or more additional guiding surfaces on the projection are provided.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 shows a fastener embodying this invention,

Fig. 2 is a preferred form of fastener,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the locking members of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4a4:a of Fig. l,

Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective of one of the locking members shown in Fig. 2,

Fig. 6 is an enlarged perspective of one of the locking members shown in Fig. 1,

Fig. 7 is a modified form of fastener embodying this invention,

Fig. 8 illustrates the fastener of Fig. l l

with the locking members widely spaced on the stringers,

Fig. 9 is an enlarged perspective of the fastener member of Fig. 7 having a projection,v

Fig. 10 is an enlarged perspective of the fastener member of Fig. 7 having a recess,

Fig. 11 is a section on the line Ila-11a of Fig. 7

Fig. 12 shows another form of this invention.

In Fig. 1, the flexible stringers 30 are provided with cords 31 secured along their longitudinal edges and around which are clamped the locking members 32 by means of the compressible jaws 35. Each of these locking members shown in detail in Figs. 3 and 6 is provided with a projection 33, and also has a recess 34c preferably coextensive with the projection and in the same transverse plane as the projection for engagement by the projection of the opposite locking member. Each rojeetion 33 is provided with guiding sur aces 36 and 37, respectively, above and below its tip or outer end and below these guiding surfaces is a hook shaped portion 38 which engages the lower wall or edge 39 of the recess in the opposite locking member. The upper inner edge 40 of the recess 34 prevents the opposite projection 33 from being withdrawn laterally from the recess 34 when it is raised longitudinally inside the recess. The top and bottom portions 41 of the locking members project as far as indicated at 42 in dotted lines of Fig. 3 so that the clamping jaws are of less width at the top and bottom than are the corded edges 31, whereby, when the corded edges areenclosed by the clamping jaws and the inturned ends 43 of the jaws, said corded ed es are compressed in all directions with t e result that the locking member is securely fastened on the corded edge and does not slip out of place. This member may be formed in any suitable manner, as by stamping the projection 33, recess 34, clamping aws 35, andedges 42 out of a fiat strip of metal in a single operation, then bending the jaws to U- shape and turning in the edges 43 of the jaws, turning in the edges 42, and bending up the projection 33 to lie in a plane parallel with the jaws 35, as shown in Fig. 6. A slider 44 having diverging channels 45 controls the engagement and disengagement of said locking members 32.

The preferred form illustrated in Figs. 2 and 5 is the same as that in Fig. 1 since each locking member has both a projection 46 and a recess 48 but differs in having the airs of clamping jaws 47 spaced apart and joined by the bridge 49 containing the recess and projection. This member may be formed of flat stri material bent double to substantially U-s ape, with the recess 48 punched out of the material between the bends and the flat projection 46 formed to lie in a plane normal to the stringer.

In Fig. 7 is shown a modified construction in which the locking members 50 on one stringer constitute the projections while those on the opposite stringer are provided with a recess. Each of the ing members 50 is provide with guiding surfaces 56 and 57 above and below its tip for the same purpose as before, namely, to

facilitate engagement between the pro ection and recess and to help raise or-lower one member if it is slightly out of line or at a different height. The guiding surface below the tip, or widest part of the recess, also functions as a means to facilitate entry of the rejection into the slider. Beneath the gui ing surfaces 56 and 57 a recess forms a catch or hook portion 58 for retaining the projection within the recess of the opposite member 51. This I opposite member 51 is also provided with spaced prongs 54 which pass into the corded edge and bend over at 59 to retain the look ing members in place. As shown in Fig. 11 the edge of the stringers 61, comprises an enlarged cord 60 through which the stapled locking members are assed and their ends bent over. The flexi le stringer material 61 is then, or previously, passed around to projection lockof the slider channels.

completely enclose the cord 60, and stitches 62 may retain the material and cord tightly held together. With this form of invention much of the metal parts are covered and the slider moves on a nonmetallic track formed by the flexible stringer material surrounding the corded edge.

Fig. 12' illustrates a locking member of the same general type as shown in Figs. 1 to 6, but in which the projection 82 is stamped and bent from the material of the tubular member, and the recess 83 is constituted by the perforation left from stamping up the integral projection.

Among the advantages of this invention may be mentioned increased flexibility of the fastener both laterally and longitudinally. Since the locking members are located opposite each other their separation along the stringers may give great lateral flexibility without causing the members to come unfastened. This spacing of the pairs of oppositely located locking members also .permits contraction and expansion of the stringer material such as occurs when the fastener is used on washable goods, for ex ample, which get wet and shrink on drying. Then again when used on a shoe, for instance, the longitudinal spacing of the pairs of locking members enables considerable give to occur in the fastener with the natural movement of the foot in walking without having locking members buckle orthe fastener feel unduly stiff. The provision of at least two guiding surfaces facilitates entry of the projections within the recesses of opposite locking members. This provision of a guiding surface below the tip of the projection not only distinguishes from previous fasteners of this general type but also serves the purpose of facilitating entry of the projection member into the slider channels since if the projection is slightly twisted from its normal plane, this lower guiding surface engaging the top of the slider channel causes the locking memberto be moved into its proper position. Another advantage is that the little hook portion below the guiding surface is close to the locking member and stringer instead of being near the tip or outer part of the projection where it might catch on the top The locking members of Figs. 1 to 6 and 12 are doubly secure in looking because each is provided with a projection and recess. As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, these locking members may be made relatively thin so as not to take up any considerable space, in fact, they are about the same dimensions as the corded edge of the stringers in Figs. 1 to 6, while in Figs. 7 to 11 it will be seen that the locking members are of less thickness than the corded stringer edge. Because of the lookdoubly secure in locking and because the locking members are all alike, this embodiment is preferable from a manufacturers standpoint for quantity production. Increasing the spacing between the pairs of opposite locking members not only increases flexibility but decreases the cost as a minimum number of locking members per unit length may be used. An advantage of the locking member shown in Fig. 12 is that it is integral and may be made in one piece of sheet metal, stamped and bent to form, more readily than some of the previously described locking members. The preferred form shown in Figs. 2 and 5 may also be made in one piece by cutting a strip of material having an L-shape cross section so that the projection 46 is stamped from one side and the recess 48 and pairs of jaws 47 both stamped from the other side of the strip, said jaw portions then being bent back substantially at right angle to the bridging portion 49, as illustrated in the drawings.

Another advantage of the locking members illustrated in Figs. 1-6 and 22, is that this ty e can be made cheaper than the other f drms illustrated because dies and tools can be used longer since greater clearances are permissible. In this type of fastener, the recess can be much larger since raising one projection also raises the lower edge of one recess and therefore will not allow accidental disengagement of this form of fastener as readily as the other forms of fastener if they had the same amount of movement to the projection member. This is because the projection of one locking member engages at a bottom edge of the recess of the opposite locking member whether moved up or down, as moving one locking member up is equivalentto moving the opposite locking member downward and results in engagement between a projection and lower edge of an opposite recess. Also with this form of fastener, two guiding surfaces 36 and 37 are not necessary on each projection, but the fastener may be satisfactorily operated if only one surface on each projection, namely the guiding surface 37, be present. The clearance between the top of a projection and the top of a recess may be any amount, the only necessary limitation for this preferred type of fastener with a projection and recess on each locking member being that the bottom of the hook portion 38 must be below the bottom of the recess in each member in order for the fastener to be securely closed.

I claim:

l. A fastener comprising a pair of flexible stringers, locking members secured to each of said stringers substantially opposite one another, each of said members having a projection and recess on its longitudinal edge for engagement with a corresponding recess and projection on the opposite member of the opposite stringer, said projection being rovided with uiding surfaces one of whic is shaped to acilitate engagement with the recess when the projection is above and the other of which is shaped to facilitate engagement with the recess when the projection is below said recess. i

2. A fastener comprising a pair of flexible stringers, locking members secured to said stringers substantially opposite one another, a projection and recess on the longitudinal edge of each member for engagement with a corresponding recessand projection on the opposite lockmg member of the other stringer, each projectlon having a guiding surface sloping outwardly to raise it into engagement with its cooperating recess.

3. A fastener comprising a pair of flexiblev stringers each having thereon similar locking members arranged for edgewise engagement and each locking member having a projection and a recess coextensive therewith on its longitudinal edge adjacent the other stringer.

4. A fastener comprising a pair of flexible stringers, locking members secured to each of said stringers substantiall opposite one another, each of said members comprising a projection and recess on its longitudinal edge for engagement with a corresponding recess and projection on the opposite member of the other stringer, and a slider controlling said members.

5. A fastener comprising a pair of flexible stringers, locking members secured to each of the stringers substantially opposite one another, each of said members comprising a recess and projection on its longitudinal edge located in the same transverse plane for engagement with a corresponding recess and projection in the opposite locking member, and a slider for controlling said members.

6. A fastener comprising a pair of flexible stringers, locking members secured to each of the stringers substantially opposite one another, each of the members on both stringers being provided with a projection and recess on its longitudinal edge for engagement with the complementary parts of the opposite member, and a slider for controlling said members, each projection having guiding surfaces on each side of its tip, and a hook below said aforementioned guiding surfaces.

7. A fastener comprising a pair of flexible stringers, locking members secured to each of said stringers substantially opposite one another, each of said members having a projection and recess on its longitudinal edge for cooperation with complementary parts on the longitudinal edge of the oppo site member, said locking members being ofintegral stri metal and the projections being stamped t ierefrom.

8. A fastener comprising a pair of flexible stringers, locking members secured to each of said stringers substantially opposite one another, a projection and recess on the longitudinal edge of each member for engagement with a cooperating recess-and projection on the opposite member of the other stringer, each projection having a tip, and guiding surfaces extending in opposite longitudinal directions on each side of said tip to raise or lower it into engagement with its cooperating recess. I

9. A fastener comprising a pair of flexible stringers, locking members on one stringer each having a hooked projection, locking members on the opposite stringer each being provided with a recess to receive the projeetion on each of the first locking members, and means on each recess member comprising another projection in the same transverse plane as the recess arranged to limit movement of the first projection therein.

10. A fastener comprising a pair of flexible stringers, locking members secured to each stringer, each being provided with a longitudinal edgewise recess and projection in the same transverse planes shaped to engage the projection and recess of a cooperating member on the opposite stringer and shaped to maintain engagement regardless of the length of the recess.

11. A fastener comprising a pair of flexible stringers, similar locking members substantially opposite one another on each stringer provided with a longitudinal edgewise recess and hooked projection, the hook portion of each projection being so shaped and located as to maintain the engagement of said locking members on opposite stringers independently of the length of the recess.

12. A locking member comprising means for securing the same to a tape and having a recess on its longitudinal edge, a projection on the same edge, a hook portion on said projection intermediate its lateral extremities, and a guiding surface between said hook portion and the outer end of said projection.

13. A locking member having means for securing the same to a tape, a recess and projection in the same transverse plane on the outer edge of said member, the bottom of the projection being located above the bottom of the recess, and the projection being provided with a hook extending below the bottom of the recess.

14. A fastener comprising a pair of flexible stringers, locking members secured to each of said stringers substantially opposite one another, each of said members having a projection and recess on its longitudinal edge for cooperation with the recess and projection of the opposite member, said locking member being of integral strip metal, the

recess in an opposite member, the longitudi- H naledge of said locking member also being provided with a recess adjacent said projection to receive the projection of said opposite member, a hook portion adjacent one end of the projection and at least one guiding surface on said projection extending outwardly from adjacent the hook ortion.

16. A locking member or a slide type fastener comprising means for attaching same to a flexible material, a projection on its longitudinal edge for engagementwith the recess in an opposite member, said locking member being provided with a recess in its longitudinal edge adjacent said projection to receive the pro ection of said opposite member, a hook portion adjacent an end of said projection, t e end of said hook portion extending longitudinally at least beyond the adjacent edge of said recess.

17. A fastener comprising a pair of flexible stringers, locking members secured to each of the stringers substantially opposite one another, and a projection and recess on the longitudinal edge of each of said members so arranged that the projections and recesses of each pair of opposite locking members will engage each other in substantially the same transverse plane.

18. A locking member for a slide type fastener comprising strip material bent double to substantially U-shape and formed adjacent its ends to provide clamping jaws, the material between the bends having a recess and a projection substantially transverse to said recess whereby said recess and projection may cooperate with complementary parts of a similar locking member.

19. A fastener comprising a pair of flexible stringers, locking members secured to each of said stringers substantially opposite one another, each of said members being provided with a projection and a. recess on its longitudinal edge for cooperation with the recess and projection of the opposite locking members, and at least some of said members being provided with hook-shaped portions to retain the projections in said recesses.

20. A separable fastener comprising a pair of flexible stringers having a plurality of pairs of opposed locking members, each member of a pair having a recess facing the opposite stringer and a flat hook projecting in a plane normal to the stringer for engagement with the recess of the other member of said pair.

" 21. A locking member for a slide type fastener comprising spaced pairs of clamplocking members arranged for edgewise engagement, each locking member having a projection and a recess on its longitudinal edge adjacent the other stringer, said recess extending in a longitudinal direction in an amount substantially equal to the width of the projection.

GIDEON SUNDBACK. 

